Scott's death ruled suicide, but cops continue to investigate

November 16, 2009

Police cordon off area along the Chicago River near the Kinzie Bridge where body was found. (Alex Garcia / Tribune)

The death of Chicago school board president Michael Scott has been ruled a suicide by the Cook County medical examiner's office, but police said this afternoon they are continuing to look into the death and that detectives are still "early on in the investigation."

There are "just a lot of things we have look at before we have a definite answer," Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis said at an afternoon news conference. Once the investigation is conducted "then we'll make a decision as to what we believe the cause of death to be."

Detectives are awaiting the results of ballistics tests, are examining Scott's phone records and are looking into whether security cameras in the area may have captured his movements before his death, Weis said.

Scott was found with a gunshot wound to the left side of his head, according to authorities. His body was found early this morning at the water's edge of the Chicago River behind the Chicago Apparel Center at 350 N. Orleans along the north branch of the river, police said.

He apparently fell forward after shooting himself, and a .380-caliber gun was found under the body, police sources say. No note was found at the scene and detectives are trying to track down the gun's registration, police said.

Rev. Jesse Jackson spent much of the day with Scott's relatives today and said they had seen no evidence that indicated his death was a suicide. He said no evidence had been presented to the family that suggested Scott had written a suicide note.

"It was a very somber and reflective atmosphere," Jackson said.

Scott's family reported him missing just after midnight Monday.

Scott was last seen Sunday at 6 p.m. after he visited his sister at a South Loop nursing home, a relative said. He brought a pizza there, the family told Rev. Jesse Jackson, a longtime friend of Scott.

The relative said he visited his sister regularly on Sundays and described him as a creature of habit.

Around 3:15 a.m. today, police found Scott's blue Cadillac parked next to a trash bin yards away from where he was discovered along the river, police say. The car was winched onto a tow truck about 6:30 a.m.